Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

by Ina Garten

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Cook with confidence no matter how much experience you have in the kitchen with the help of the beloved Food Network star “Garten has kicked things up a level, this time encouraging readers to try more ambitious recipes that are still signature warm, comforting, homey.”—Chicago Tribune NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • Food Network • Food & Wine • PopSugar • The Atlanta Journal-Constitution • Country Living • The Feast • Eater • The Kitchn • Delish In this collection of foolproof recipes, Ina brings readers’ cooking know-how to the next level by answering questions, teaching techniques, and explaining her process right in the margin of each recipe—it’s as if she’s in the kitchen by your side guiding you through the recipe. When you make her Cauliflower Toasts with prosciutto and Gruyère, she shows you the best way to cut a cauliflower into perfect florets without getting them all over the kitchen (from the stem end, with the head turned upside-down!) and when making her Red Wine–Braised Short Ribs, Ina shares a fantastic tip for keeping your stovetop clean (roast the short ribs in the oven rather than browning them in a pan on the stove!). You’ll discover dozens more ingenious tips and shortcuts throughout, such as how to set up an elegant home bar, how to peel two heads of garlic quickly, how to use a paring knife to create a pro-worthy pattern on her decadent Chocolate Chevron Cake, and the key to making unbelievably creamy Truffled Scrambled Eggs (add the eggs to the skillet before the butter melts—who knew?!). Both beginners and advanced cooks will love this book filled with new dishes that will become part of your repertoire and practical cooking advice that will give you more confidence in the kitchen. Your friends and family will be so impressed!

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Foodie, Reference, Food and Drink

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 23, 2018

About the author

Ina Garten is a New York Times bestselling author and the host of Barefoot Contessa on Food Network, for which she has won four Emmy Awards and a James Beard Award. She lives in East Hampton, New York, with her husband, Jeffrey.

Reviews

[Adrienne · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is gorgeous. I found the selection of recipes to be uninspiring though.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the tips throughout the book but the recipes didn’t grab me like her books usually do. I like the concept but wish she’d go back to cooking for her friends! Having a party is what makes Ina fun and approachable.

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[Deborah Bluminberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing shows the huge difference between the life I have and the life I want like an Ina Garten cookbook. This cookbook is a good blend of recipes I could make and recipes I’d never tackle, but a woman can dream . . .

[Melanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a huge Ina fan - I love watching her shows, reading her cookbooks (I have a few of them), and making some of her recipes. I'm glad I got this cookbook at the library instead of purchasing it - there wasn't one single recipe that interested me. Either they were too simplistic or else seemingly repeats from her other books. She needs to come up with something new!

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard her speak about her approach to food and watched endless episodes of her tv shows, and still marvel at how she makes it look so effortless. I only have a couple other of her cookbooks but came to rely on this one ever since I picked it up and had nothing but five star results every time. Thanks Ina!

[John’aLee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favorites of hers, but there are a few recipes I want to try.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

My newest cookbook! I especially like the way some of the recipes make two different meals, such as Baked Pasta with tomatoes and eggplant that becomes Tomato and Eggplant Soup on the next night. She also includes recipes for the side dishes she recommends, such as the Blue Cheese Grits to go with the Red Wine-braised Short Ribs and even condiments like Buttermilk Herb Mayo to go with the recipe for fried chicken sandwiches. Her suggestions really help pull the whole meal together. It's also nice to have so many recipes that serve 6, instead of the more common "serves 4". I like to cook for my family members!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book and returned it the same day. After flipping through it, I realized I had only stuck a post-it on about 5-6 recipes. Everything looked good, but there was nothing new and exciting. I was willing to keep it though (because I hate paying return shipping on Amazon), until I got to the shrimp & grits recipe, and saw that she calls for instant grits. Absolutely not.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pictures of recipes? Yes.
Commentary on recipes? Yes.
Nutrition facts? No.
Recipe Style? Nothing you wouldn't expect from Ina.
Any keepers? I can't say I was terribly inspired. I'd rather have her invite me to dinner.

[Ada-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ina for President! I love her.

[Nmuller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sorry Ina, but this feels like a swing and a miss. I have all the others, and LOVE them. This one just does not speak to me. 2.5.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't normally watch Ina Garten, but I did recently see one of her shows with recipes I wanted to try, so I figured I would check out this book. While she did give some tips, there definitely weren't as many "pro tips" as the title would imply - there was a page at the beginning of each chapter and some sprinkled in throughout the recipes. Overall, there just weren't that many recipes I wanted to try from this book. Maybe it would be better for a more beginner cook.

[CC · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful book. Not sure I'll try that many of the recipes, though. I should've gotten the Cooking for Jeffrey book, as he is a fellow chicken lover. Regardless, there are a couple salads I'll attempt at some point. The desserts look really great, too.

[Janice · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I like about Ina is her recipes are elegant, well thought out and very user friendly. I have all her cookbooks and would rate them all the same. She is my go to chef.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "So delicious" stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
There were so many wonderful recipes for food that I personally love to eat contained in this cookbook. YEAH!!!

It is also beautifully photographed as per the usual standard that I have come to expect from a "Ina Garten" cookbook. Not only does Ina write recipes that are straightforward and easy to follow but she also gives many simple tips and advice that serve to ensure success for the reader when replicating these dishes .
I can honestly say from personal experience that all the dishes over the years that I have made from her cookbooks have always worked out and generally been well received.

Recipes that I would like to try for this New Year's Eve are the warm dates with blue cheese & prosciutto and the sausage & mushroom strudels...yummy!!

All the eggplant dishes included also really appeal to me.
I am such a fan of this versatile vegetable.

The chicken thighs with creamy mustard sauce recipe reminds me of a meal my sister made for me once and I am pretty sure her sauce also included creme fraiche, dry white wine and dijon mustard. I have fond memories of that dish & I definitely want to try out this recipe.

I like that a lot of her desserts call for fresh fruit...many are very simple....a plus when entertaining as who has time for making dessert as well as the meal.
I mean, who else would advocate for scoops of Haagen-Daz vanilla icecream topped with Limoncello liqueur and served with store bought biscotti.....so easy but no doubt delicious. ( a twist on one of my home favorites - vanilla icecream topped with raisins soaked in Pedro Ximenez sherry).

Even though this cookbook is titled "Cook Like a Pro" I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to all cooks and I do think it is one of the authors best efforts.

[Julie H. Ernstein · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Ina Garten, and enjoyed cruising through her latest cookbook called Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks. It felt as though it was arranged a bit strangely with breakfast toward the back, and then ending with a section called "Pro Basics." Regardless of the order, I tabbed a number of items to make in coming weeks--beginning with tomato and eggplant soup. There's also a lovely roasted beet, butternut squash, and apple salad that will make a welcome addition during this season of overindulging. The lamb and chickpea curry looks delicious, as well, but I was surprised that her recipe recommends one purchase a tube of harissa vs. making their own. All told, the book felt a little bit like cookbook scraps--that is, semi-random items that had perhaps been trimmed from previous books due to length and then landed in a book together. I'm not sure I need to own this one, whereas I have other books of hers that I've made so many items from that to simply copy out the ones of interest would have involved transcribing the whole book. Please get back to your work on that biography, Ina! That's the one I'm most eagerly awaiting.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book, and Ina is super gracious as always. I love her warm tone, backstories and the photography is spot on. She gives decent amounts of tips and tricks at the beginning of the book and at the beginning of each chapter, specific to that kind of recipe. One of the reasons this book didn't work as well for me is I feel no urge to 'cook like a pro'. I'm a decent home cook; sometimes I enjoy cooking for special occasions but the thing I always liked about Ina was that she was about having fun with your guests and her relaxed approach to entertaining. That doesn't marry well with the idea of a pro chef, at least in my head. And, in general, the recipes weren't that inspiring - many of them aren't even hers (though she tells you where they come from). My favorite chapters are the cocktails/appetizers and desert - that was where her personality really came through.

If you're a fan, this is a beautiful book and worth checking out for some new ideas.

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 I think these recipes are a great inspiration for upping the game and adding depth and layers of flavors to every mouthful. The creativeness of the recipes also adds a layer of "yum" to the food.

The Red Wine Braised Short Ribs were amazing but... These recipes are very layered which is great but since I don't usually cook with wine or beer, or some of the spices, etc. I would really like to know what could be substituted if a non-staple ingredient is used. I could not find an individual bottle or can of Guinness Beer so I had to call my son to find out the flavor profile so I could make a substitution. That is probably just a rural small-town problem and not part of a pro-tips.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying that this is not a bad book, it just was not one that appealed to me. Ina had many good tips and ideas at the beginning of each section there were helpful pro tips like "is is done yet??" I really like that. The pictures were great and the recipes were not bad. It was the choice of food that made this book a three star for me. I don't eat seafood and there are so many things that I am allergic to. That is the low grade on this book. If you know Ina's food this is a great book for you!!

[E · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow - Ina definitely had to crank out another book on a publishers timeline. I picked this up at a bookstore -not impressed. Two pages dedicated to Shishito Peppers - take peppers, sautee whole in a pan with olive oil, salt and a squeeze of lime? Ok Ina - enjoy life in the Hamptons and take it easy. Your books are on the decline and not inspiring - go out on a good note and not like this. Repurposed recipes from your previous books and sauteeing whole vegetables are not worthy of a book by you (and definitely not a national book tour.)

[Caitlin Hawksley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Has anyone else noticed Ms. Garten's tendency to oversalt? Her recipes are gold if you halve the called-for salt and then season to taste from there. Otherwise, we followed directions and had some inedible dishes.

[Onceinabluemoon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another gorgeous, practical and mouthwatering collection from the best of the best.

[Debbie Tollefson · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love Ina, and we have enjoyed many of her recipes. But this book didn't inspire me. Glad I borrowed it from the library - read and returned.

[Lafourche Parish Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not wait to look at Ina Garten’s latest cookbook Cook Like a Pro: Recipes and Tips for Home Cooks. I have been a fan of her cookbooks since I tasted her Tomato Basil Soup from her first cookbook, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. I am not a great cook so I need recipes written for a novice with exact measurements. I find her recipes easy to prepare and full of flavor. I always have friends asking for the recipe after a gathering. I have learned little tricks and new ingredients from her cookbooks over the years. This cookbook is no different. She shares dozens of tips to make cooking and entertaining easier. My kids roast cauliflower weekly and each time they cook, I come home to cauliflower all over the floor. I could not wait to give them her advice on the best way to cut cauliflower without getting it all over the kitchen. Another tip from this cookbook is she puts coffee in all of her chocolate dishes. She says you don’t taste the coffee but the chocolate taste better.

Cook Like a Pro includes a table of contents and two indexes. One index is to search by the ingredient, and the second index is the recipe index. This cookbook offers recipes for cocktails, soups and salads, dinner, vegetables and sides, dessert, and breakfast. There is a section on presentation for entertaining, substituting ingredients, how to measure, how to bake and recommended temperature for cooking meat. All of Mrs. Garten’s recipes include a recipe list in order of the cooking instructions with a photograph of the finished product. Most include a pro tip in the margin that will make the recipe either easier to prepare or advice on plating.

Beautiful photography and styling of the dishes is a plus in this cookbook.

All of the soups and salads look amazing, but I really cannot wait to try the farro salad with pistachios and mint on page 46. I also want to try the creamy blue cheese grits. Oh! And the fig and ricotta cake.

I believe beginner to advanced cooks will love the recipes from this cookbook. They are different from her other cookbooks. I give Cook Like a Pro a 4 out of 5, only because her first two cookbooks are still my favorite.

- Amy, Reference Librarian

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was thinking that overall, people are disappointed with the book
usually giving it 3 stars, but i think a few recipes, if you dig for the good ones
will make the book more enjoyable

---

Fried Chicken Sandwich

chicken marinade (8 to 24 hrs)

buttermilk, shaken
jalapeno pepper (with seeds), halved lengthwise
shallot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced crosswise
garlic cloves, smashed
Kosher salt
black pepper

fried chicken

boneless chicken breasts
canola oil (frying the chicken)
flour
baking powder
cayenne pepper
smoked Spanish paprika
celery salt



burger

potato hamburger buns, toasted
Bibb lettuce leaves
Kosher dill pickles, thinly sliced

buttermilk herb mayonnaise

mayonnaise
buttermilk, shaken
good white wine vinegar
thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts
minced fresh parsley
minced fresh chives
minced fresh thyme
Kosher salt
black pepper

assembly

bottom bun with mayo, lettuce leaf, 4 pickle slices
then the chicken
then the top bun with mayo on it

[Lisa Carlson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Self-taught chef, gourmet food shop owner, author Ina Garten aka the Barefoot Contessa presents a beautiful cook book. For the last several years I've relied on Garten's technique to cook a Thanksgiving turkey; it's the best ever. I regularly watch her show on Sunday mornings because I'm always learning something new. There's also something comforting about her which is relatable and lovely. Many of the recipes in this book cover a range of options from the simple to the elegant. She offers the basics such as recipes for making broth which I going to start making rather than busying. I love that Ina presents techniques and recipes that are simple, delicious and elegant. One of my favorite recipes in this book I make regularly; Mustard sauce with chicken thighs. Easy and fantastic.
As far as I'm concerned the Barefoot Contessa is simply a class above the rest!

[Margie Adler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when you think that Ina Garten can't possibly have anything new or inspiring to teach you, she comes up with Cook Like a Pro. It's packed with recipes, some old with terrific new twists and some new: Israeli Vegetable Salad on a bed of hummus (Yes! Really! So simple and beautiful, but I didn't think of it.) Chicken Marbella, Roasted Eggplant Parmesan, and fabulous party hits— sweet and savory strudels. She even came up with a great way to take the simple turkey sandwich and make it sensational with brussels sprouts slaw. From the Chocolate Chevron Cake to the Blueberry Rhubarb Jam, this book is exciting! I learned from the scattered tips and techniques, and most of all I am inspired to make many of the recipes. I may have to work my way through the book like Julie did with Julia's.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Ina Garten for several years. I watched several series of her shows. I would sometimes jot down ingredients for dishes I was interested in. Having a cookbook is so much easier. What's great about this cookbook is that it's designed for the home cook. I love the photos of the finished dishes and some of the ingredients. The added tips in the margins of the recipes are very helpful. She also writes about the tools and cookwares used. There are many drool-worthy recipes in my opinion. Her guidance within the recipes, with how-tos in prep work and achieving great tastes are very doable. I'll enjoy cooking from this cookbook for years to come. Thank you for the free book, Clarkson Potter!

[S Vanorse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some really good advice, more for a newer cook. You can always see the care that Ina takes in putting a cook book together. Only recipe I don't agree with is her vanilla extract recipe, 12-24 beans, 4 cups vodka, room temperature and wait a few months. Add beans and extra vodka as you use up. 24 beans would cost a fortune today, cold extraction should go by weight, that would be a heck of a lot more than 24 beans per 4 cups of vodka, you need to cut or split beans to get the best vanilla. Once it is used up (my opinion) it is used up, start more. And if it is so good, why does she use Nielsen Massey in her videos? (Just watched 2 and Ina used Nielsen Massey in both)